Dispensing container



Jan. 19, 1965 A. ARAUJO DISPENSING CONTAINER Filed Dec. 26, 1965 lo INVENTOR. ARMANDO ARAUGO BY miv mw ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofiice 3,166,187 Patented Jan. 19, 1965 3,166,187 DISPENSING CONTAINER Armando Araujo, Freeport, N.Y., assignor to Oxford Filing Supply Company, Inc., Garden City, N .Y., a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 333,482 4 Claims. (Cl. 26658) This invention relates to improvements in combinations including a container and a strip of material to be dispensed therefrom.

The prime object of the invention is to provide a simple and effective means for rewinding the strip on to the supply roll thereof, so as to return the excess portion of the extended strip into the container.

Other and more detailed objects of the invention will be apparent from the following disclosure of a preferred embodiment thereof, which is illustrated in full detail in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the element of the combination used to form the rewinding cage;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded view in perspective of all of the elements of the combination comprising this invention;

FIGURE 3 is a similar view with the parts in normal assembled relation;

FIGURE 4 is a left-hand elevational view of the assembly shown in FIGURE 3; and

FIGURES 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 3, showing, in the former, parts in initial position and, in the latter, the normal position of the parts after use, that is, after the strip has been rewound subsequent to its use.

As a short background for the invention, it is explained that it is concerned with a type or dispenser for a strip of material, which is in the form of a roll arranged in the container with the end of the strip withdrawable through a slot in the container. The end of the strip is withdrawn for whatever use is intended, and the remaining end of the extended strip can be withdrawn into the container by means of a simple cage which is trapped as the end is withdrawn, to insure rotation of the roll through a turning force applied to the cage.

The complete assembly, as illustrated, includes the container 10, made of any suitable material such as cardboard. The details of the container are of no moment. It can be made, as suggested in the drawings, by gluing up a suitably formed single piece of cardboard. The container includes a cover 10a having a flap 10b, which is folded down into the top of the container body to leave a slot S extending along its top edge at the front, as illustrated. Either or both end walls of the container have an area cut out to form a suitably shaped opening, such as shown at 14 and 16, see FIG. 2. The strip 20 is formed into a roll 12 of suitable length. In the form illustrated the strip 26 is a paper suitably processed so that a series of labels L, having pressure sensitive adhesive on one side can be mounted thereon so :as to be easily stripped off for use. It will become apparent from the whole disclosure that the strip 20 can be of other materials and suitable for other uses.

The roll 12 is enclosed within a cage 18. As illustrated, this cage can consist of a single piece of material such as cardboard, for example, cut out to have the form shown in FIGURE 1. As illustrated, it consists of a pair of generally circular sections 18a and 1812, connected in alignment by means of a strap 18d and provided on the opposite sides with the strap extensions 18c and 18e. The disks 18a and 18b are cut out to form a pair of finger tabs 18 and 18g. This piece of material is then folded to form an open-ended rectangular cage 18, which can be fitted around the roll 12 as illustrated in FIGURE 2. It will be seen that the end straps 18c and 18e together have the same length as the strap 18d, so that the cage 18 has a generally rectangular form. The lengths of these straps are proportioned so that the disk portions 18a and 18b overlie the ends of the roll 12.

The assembly including the roll and cage is then dropped into the container 10' and the cover is closed so that the end of the strip 20 projects a short distance through the slot S, see FIGURE 3.

The finger tabs 18) and 18g, which can bend outwardly of the plane of the disks to which they are attached, are accessible respectively through the openings 14 and 16.

In use, the end of the strip 20 is pulled out through the slot, causing the roll 12 to rotate in the cage. The desired number of labels L are stripped off and, if desired, the used end of the strip can be cut off. Naturally, in use a longer length of strip will be pulled out than will actually be required. The purpose of the cage is to permit reverse rotation of the roll 12, so as to withdraw the unused portion of the strip back through the slot. This reverse rotation is accomplished by grasping either or both of the finger tabs 18 and 18g and rotating the cage in a rewinding direction. Initially the cage is entirely outside the convolutions of the coil 12, see FIGS. 2 and 5. However, upon turning the cage in a rewinding direction for the first time, it turns around the roll until the straps 18d or 18c-18e move within the outer convolutions of the roll 12, see FIG. 6. This insures frictional engagement between the cage and the roll so as to drive the roll in a rewinding direction. As the strip is used and the diameter of the roll decreases, the drive engagement between the cage and roll is continued by the entrapment of the straps within the outer convolu tions of the roll, as illustrated in FIG. 6.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, various details of the preferred embodiment used for illustrative purposes can be changed without departure from the novel subject matter herein disclosed. For example, the cage may be made of molded plastic and the extensions 18c and 18e either separated as shown or united so that the cage forms a closed rectangle. It is preferred, therefore, that the scope of the invention be determined by the appended claims.

What is claimed:

1. A strip dispensing assembly, comprising in combination a container having an opening in an end wall and a slot, a roll of strip material in said container with the end of the strip extending through said slot, an open-sided cage enclosing said roll, said cage comprising a pair of discs overlying the respective ends of said roll and at least one strip connecting said discs, and means on said cage accessible through said opening to effect rewinding rotation of said roll and cage to return said strip through said slot, said rewinding rotation causing said strip to move within the convolutions of said roll to increase the frictional engagement between said roll and cage.

3 4: 2. In the combination of claim 1, said cage comprising a References Cited by the Examiner an integralpiece of material comprising said pair of UNITED STATES PATENTS discsanda pair of strips in diametrically'opposed relati 655,565 8/00 Mercer 229-87.2 3. In the combination of claim 1, said means compris- 5 1,112,062 9/ 14 Gardner m tabs on said dism 2,017,405 10/35 Pantalone 20658 2,017,406 10/35 Gruber 206-52 4. In the combination of claim 1, said cage comprising a strip of material consisting of a said pair of disks at 3115242 12/63 Kolesh 20652 its ends, and said strip. THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner 

1. A STRIP DISPENSING ASSEMBLY, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A CONTAINER HAVING AN OPENING IN AN END WALL AND A SLOT, A ROLL OF STRIP MATERIAL IN SAID CONTAINER WITH THE END OF THE STRIP EXTENDING THROUGH SAID SLOT, AN OPEN-SIDED CAGE ENCLOSING SAID ROLL, SAID CAGE COMPRISING A PAIR OF DISCS OVERLYING THE RESPECTIVE ENDS OF SAID ROLL AND AT LEAST ONE STRIP CONNECTING SAID DISCS, AND MEANS ON SAID CAGE ACCESSIBLE THROUGH SAID OPENING TO EFFECT REWINDING ROTATION OF SAID ROLL AND CAGE TO RETURN SAID STRIP THROUGH SAID SLOT, SAID REWINDING ROTATION CAUSING SAID STRIP TO MOVE WITHIN THE CONVOLUTIONS OF SAID ROLL 